New Fifty Fifty off to strong start

Recently rebooted K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty, with four new members after last year’s legal dispute between their agency, Attrakt, and the original members, is off to a promising start with the new mini album “Love Tune,” which released Friday.

The album, available in both "Love" and "Tune" versions, features six tracks, including lead single “SOS” and the prereleased “Starry Night.” Other tracks include "Push Your Love," "Gravity" and English versions of both "Starry Night" and "SOS."

Shortly after its release, “SOS” ascended to No. 1 on YouTube’s trending music chart and entered the Melon Top 100 chart. The group's fan showcase, livestreamed via YouTube on Friday, attracted nearly 200,000 views in replays. Along with "SOS," "Push Your Love," the Korean version of "Starry Night" and "Gravity" also made it on the Melon Hot 100, marking a strong start for the new release. The Melon Hot 100 chart ranks new songs released within the last 30 or 100 days.

The group has expressed determination to make a mark on the Billboard charts again with "SOS," following the group's breakout hit “Cupid” that released in February last year. To optimize their chances in the international market, "Love Tune" was released on a Friday, aligning with Billboard’s weekly chart tracking, which ends at 1 p.m. Korean time on Fridays. This allows a full week of performance data to be captured for chart eligibility.

Much like "Cupid," both "SOS" and "Starry Night" were produced dually in Korean and English, underscoring the group’s intention to cater to overseas listeners.

"SOS" features production from Adam Von Mentzer, who also produced "Cupid," bringing a Swedish pop flair that enhances the track's easy-listening appeal. The new members -- Chanelle, Yewon, Hana and Athena -- blend harmoniously, adding a richer, more natural vocal texture compared to previous releases.

“Each of the five members has a distinct vocal tone. When these tones come together in one song, it creates a more brilliant sound, which is Fifty Fifty’s strength,” Keena, the lone original band member, said during the group's showcase in Seoul on Friday.

Fifty Fifty originally debuted in November 2022 with the first mini-album "The Fifty." In February 2023, "Cupid" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at No. 100, climbing as high as No. 17. Dubbed the "miracle of a small agency idol," the song remained on the chart for an impressive streak of 25 weeks, riding a wave of success both in the US and South Korea.